The present invention relates generally to controlling watercraft wake and, more particularly, to controlling wake from watercraft having plural propulsion units.
As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,932, fishing with a lure or live bait using the trolling method involves dropping or casting the lure or bait into a body of water, with the lure or bait being connected to a moving watercraft by means of a thin fishing line which pulls the lure or bait through the water. This pulling motion of the lure through the water causes the lure to engage in commonly used oscillations intended to attract the attention of fish within the water. One known method of dropping or casting a fishing line for trolling is to simply extend, by hand, one or more commercially available fishing rods over the water from a moving watercraft so that the bait or lure is placed in the water, and then allowing the fishing line to unwind from the reel. Another known method, used more frequently within the commercial fishing industry, is to use long fiberglass poles and outriggers which spread multiple lines behind the boat to avoid tangling. Due to the forward motion of a watercraft while trolling, a fishing line dropped or cast from the watercraft will tend to migrate toward the back, or wake, of the watercraft and remain there. However, it is undesirable for a fishing line to remain directly behind the watercraft while trolling because a moving watercraft generally has some means of propeller propulsion, which, in addition to the exhaust from a driving engine, creates a wake or path behind the watercraft. This wake or path directly behind the watercraft is generally significantly turbulent and not conducive to the normal oscillating motion of a fishing lure or live bait. In addition, fish are known to avoid engine exhaust and propeller wakes.
It is desirable to control the wake of a watercraft, particularly so that the wake minimizes interference with trolling.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a watercraft with a control system comprises at least two propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft, each propulsion unit being independently turnable, and a control system arranged to control orientation of the propulsion units, the control system including a first control mode in which turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a control system for a watercraft is provided, the watercraft comprising at least two, independently turnable propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft. The control system comprises a program fixed on a medium, the program being arranged to operate the propulsion units in a first control mode so that turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a watercraft is provided, the watercraft comprising at least two, independently turnable propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft. According to the method the watercraft is operated in a first control mode in which turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft. In another step of the method, the watercraft is operated in a second control mode different from the first control mode.